


Never Fade

by shelovestoship



Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Higgins is Higgins, Little bit angsty, Magnum is worried, best partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28403493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shelovestoship/pseuds/shelovestoship
Summary: I seem to be on a Magnum is worried about Higgins kick + I was re-watching some season one episodes and now I'm playing with the crumbs of 1x06.“You’ve been talking to Kumu,” she said, opening her eyes to glare at him. “I’m fine.”“She says you haven’t eaten a thing in two days,” he said, scanning her body and face for signs of distress.
Relationships: Juliet Higgins & Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Comments: 16
Kudos: 66





	Never Fade

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think they actually mention what specifically was disease Juliet's mom had, but there are a few of them that seem to have some genetic components that you can be tested for and there are some studies that have been shown that maybe they can be prevented/improved by fasting (and other things). I also just love making my babies suffer..

## Never Fade

“Higgy,” Magnum said carefully. “Do you want a muffin?”

“No.” She moved into warrior pose. Or at least he thought that was what it was called. He’d been reading up on yoga poses but they were still mostly a mystery to him. Just like Juliet Higgins herself could often be.

“How about a bagel? Some scrambled eggs? Steak?” he continued, not about to let it go.

“You’ve been talking to Kumu,” she said, opening her eyes to glare at him. “I’m fine.”

“She says you haven’t eaten a thing in two days,” he said, scanning her body and face for signs of distress.

“Kumu is not my keeper and neither are you,” she said, annoyance clear on her face. When he kept watching her she added, “If you must know I’m fasting.”

“Fasting?” 

He’d known a lot of girls on diets. Eating only bananas, rice and even just meat. Checking the calories or carb grams of every single thing they put in their mouths. 

He’d never known Higgins to be on a diet though, even if she could be a selective and picky eater. With all the working out she did and how lean she already was there was hardly a need for her to be on a diet, was there? Certainly not one where she apparently wasn’t eating _anything_. 

“Fasting: _Voluntarily abstaining from food for a set period of time_ ,” she explained. As if it was the word confusing him rather than why she was doing it.

“I know what it means, but I hardly think you-”

“Thomas Magnum,” she said, eyes flashing. “Are you about to tell me what I can and cannot do to my body?”

“No,” he said then changed his mind. “Yes. Juliet not eating for two days can’t be healthy-”

“It is in fact, quite healthy,” she said, before rolling up her yoga mat. “Now leave me alone.”

“Fine,” he agreed even though it was the last thing he wanted. He wanted to help. He hadn’t meant to pick a fight or anything. Just wanted to see what was going on. Maybe make her lunch. Because Kumu was concerned. And now he was too.

* * *

The knock was distinctly a Higgins knock. It was much later yet Magnum was still upset. Because even if it was her right to do whatever she wanted to her body, it wasn’t okay for her to do something bad to it. Was it? 

What if she passed out while she was swimming? Or doing some crazy yoga pose? How long was she going to not eat? He’d gone a few days without food at the POW camp but never voluntarily. To him, it seemed a crazy thing to do. 

“Can I come in?” she asked, a little hesitant. Not very Higgins like.

He opened the door fully and headed for the common area of the guest house. “Want a beer?”

She looked at him in a way that made him feel like a complete idiot.

“Right,” he said. He felt he should maybe apologize. But only if she did it first. And promised to eat something.

“About today,” she said. “I was a bit...snippy.”

“I imagine not eating for two days does that to you,” he said, knowing he was making it worse. _Just say you’re sorry too Magnum. Just do it_.

She put a USB-stick on the side table and took a step back towards the entrance. “I just came to give you this. Maybe it’ll make you understand.”

“Wait,” he said, reaching for her wrist, stopping her. Her hand was cold even though it was a warm night. “I’m sorry. This just threw me a bit. Even though I know I don’t need to, sometimes, I worry about you.”

“Sometimes I worry too. That’s why I’m doing this,” she said, nodding towards the USB stick. “On there you’ll find all the information I have on early-onset dementia. And fasting, which is one of the possible ways to prevent it.”

“Early-onset dementia, was that what your mother had?” he asked, not letting go of her arm.

She nodded. “And her grandmother before her. I don’t have the genetic gene mutation that increases the risk but I’m not taking any chances. I can’t lose who I am. So I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it, prevent it.” She pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself. “If that means being hungry for a few days now and again, playing chess and doing crossword puzzles every day and eating fish four days a week, then I will.”

“Fasting is good for things like that?” he asked even though he didn’t doubt it was. And he felt foolish for doubting her, for thinking she would do something without reason.

“Emerging research seems to think it is.”

“Okay,” he said, kind of understanding, accepting, but still feeling worried. More worried actually, because this was about something bigger and scarier than her not eating for a few days.

He couldn’t imagine anything more terrifying than the risk of one day forgetting who he was, who the people around him where. He hated that she’d never shared this worry with him and that he’d never thought to ask more about her mother’s disease. Even if she wouldn’t have told him earlier in their friendship, he should still have tried. 

“Okay?” she said, surprise clear in her voice. Goosebumps ran up her arms.

“Yes.” He shrugged. “You’re cold.”

She nodded. “It’s a rather strange feeling, to be cold in Hawaii.”

“You sure I can’t make you something to eat,” he asked, not able to help himself.

“Ask me that again tomorrow, I might take you up on it.” She smiled tiredly. “Butter shrimp? It wasn’t terrible when you made it last time.”

He smiled but he wasn’t quite able to muster up his normal response to a teasing compliment from her. “Sure.” 

She nodded and the smile fell. He had to fight an overriding need to hug her. Hold her and maybe share just a little bit of body heath. 

“Goodnight Thomas,” she said and turned to leave.

He let her go, because what else could he do. They were business partners, friends, nothing else. What right did he have to hug her? None. 

“Goodnight Juliet.”.

.

.

**End**


End file.
